Types of Wood: Wood Furniture Buying Guide

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If you're new to purchasing wood furniture, deciding what to buy can be quite overwhelming, as there are so many types of woods that it may not be even clear what type of wood you're buying. If that is the case, please scroll down for the description of the type of wood you are interested in.

White Ash: There are 16 species of ash which grow in the eastern United States. Of these, the white ash is the largest and most commercially important. Ash, a hard, heavy, ring porous hardwood. has a white to pale surface with a straight grain. With hardness of 4 on a scale of 1 to 5, it's pretty easy to work with. Ash is widely used for structural frames and steam bent furniture pieces, as it produces good results with hand or machine tools. Responds well to steam bending. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

Beech: Beech wood furniture is a popular choice for many kinds of chairs, tables, and other indoor or outdoor furnishings. It is a hard, strong, heavy wood with tiny pores and large conspicuous medullary rays. Beech is often used for frames, a variety of bent and turned parts. Another aspect of beech wood that makes it attractive in furniture, is its relatively clean surface presentation: its flatsawn surfaces tend to be very plain, while quartersawn surfaces exhibit a silvery fleck pattern. Quite often, it ages gracefully. With the right maintenance, beech wood furniture can look lovely for many years, providing a natural, organic style for indoor or outdoor space.

Oak: Oak is high on the list for DIY wood furniture projects because it has a longstanding reputation of both beauty and strength. It is also often used in pieces made in the Arts and Crafts or Mission style because of its visible wavy grain and distinctive look. A clear finish nicely highlights the grain. Yet stain can overly darken and exaggerate the grain, so it can end up looking two-toned.

Pine: Pine is an inexpensive, lightweight wood that can be yellowish or whitish with brown knots. Pine rustic log furniture is great for creating a rustic look in a room, which is why it's so often part of country-style and heritage-themed furniture sets. Pine also develops a nice, rustic patina from age and use, and it resists shrinking and swelling. The wood's noticeable grain and knots give each piece a unique look. In home decor, pine furniture blends well with others, allowing the buyer to mix and match pieces. 

Okoume: Okoume is a species native to west-central Africa. Within its native range, Okoume is considered widespread and relatively common. It has a low density and thus is considered very soft, rendering it unsuitable for use in situations requiring durability, such as flooring. Yet it peels and slices easily and evenly, and this combines with its good acceptance of glue to give it wide use as veneer and in plywood.

Birch: There are many species of birch and the yellow birch is the most commercially important. Birch is a hard, heavy, close grained hardwood that is extremely strong and durable and so is a smart choice for solid hardwood furniture. With a light brown or reddish colored heartwood and cream or light sapwood, it also presents an elegant look to clean line furniture designs.

Mahogany: Affordable value and exceptionally beautiful stature makes it a good pick for consumers. One of the great furniture woods, mahogany has a reddish-brown to deep-red tint, a straight grain, medium texture, and a hardness of around 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. It takes stain very well and looks great with just a coat of oil. The only drawback is that mahogany isn’t being grown in sustainable forests.

Walnut: Walnut is a straight-grained hardwood that ranges from chocolate brown to yellow. With a hardness of about 4 on a 1 to 5 scale, it is a rich wood that’s easy to work with yet finding large boards for big projects is getting difficult. In spite of this, walnut is still a great wood and lends itself nicely for use as accents and inlays to dress up a project.

Hickory: As one of the heaviest and hardest woods available, Hickory wood has been used for furniture and flooring for years, and with many different varieties. Wood from the hickory is used for structural parts, especially where strength and thinness are required. Decorative hickory veneers are also commonly used.

Redwood: As its name suggests, it has a reddish tint to it. The best quality redwood comes from the heartwood which is resistant to deterioration due to sunlight, moisture and insects. It is used to craft outdoor furniture and decorative carvings. Redwood burls have a "cluster of eyes" figure. They are rare and valuable. 

Knowing about the different types of woods and their characteristics can help you make more informed decisions. It is hoped that this guide will help you answer some basic questions.

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